Evacuation of 10 families on rock slide site in Makati City ordered

Makati  Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay has ordered the evacuation of 10 families living in a declared danger zone below the ridge along C-5 in Barangay East Rembo, where a rock slide injured  four persons on Thursday afternoon.

City engineers who conducted an ocular inspection of the site discovered portions of the ridge to be unstable and  prone to rock slides, according to the mayor.

“I have also given specific instructions to Barangay East Rembo officials to ensure that no other structure shall be allowed to rise in areas that may put lives in danger,” he added.

Social workers and barangay officials organized a dialogue with the residents on Friday to advise them about  relocating.

Among the options presented to the residents was the local government’s Balik Probinsya program, where the city government provides for the cost of sending them  back to their hometowns.

Binay said the city engineer’s office had called the attention of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority about finishing the construction of a slope retaining wall which could have prevented the rock slide.

The office also sought the assistance of the Department of Public Works and Highways four years ago when city inspectors noticed cracks on the ridge, according to the mayor. The request was left unattended, he added.

Some residents blamed an ongoing construction project  in the area as the cause.

But city inspectors doubted if it had anything to do with the  rock slide since the construction area was at least 15 meters away from the accident site.